Potato-planter.



. J. R. FRUIT.

POTATO PLANTER.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 21, 1908.

Patented Mar. 9

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POTATO PLANTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1908. 914,564. Patented Mar. 9, 1909.

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JESSE FRUIT, OF H'EYBURN, IDAHO z POTATO-PLAN'IER.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented March 9, 1909.

Application filedMay 21, 1908. Serial No. 434,185.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEssE R. FRUIT, citizen of the United States,residing at Heyburn, in the county of Lincoln and'State of Idaho, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Potato-Planters, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The present invention relates in general to agricultural implements, andmore particularly to an improved potato planter embodying novel meansfor positively engaging the seed potatoes and dropping them into thefurrow at stated intervals, and also provided with means for regulatingthe depth at which the seed potatoes are planted.

The object of the invention is the provi sion of a simple andcompaotplanting machine which can be readily drawn by a single horse andcontrolled by a single person, and which will operate in an effectivemanner to accomplish the desired result.

With this and other objects in view that will more fully appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructionsand arrangements of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe,and then point out the novelfeatures thereof, in the appended claims.

For a fullunderstanding of the invention and the merits thereof, and toacquire a knowledge of the details of construction, reference is to behad to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a potatoplanter embodying theinvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevation'of the same Fig. 3 is a topplanview; Fig. 4 is a detail view of the clutchmechanism for throwing thefeeding devices into operation; Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectionalview onthe line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of one of thewings upon 3 Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional the feed belt. view on theline 77 of Fig. 2.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the samereference characters.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the frame of theplanter, the said frame being shown in the present instance as formedfrom a single bar which is doubled bar are spaced from each other, asindicated at 1 A clevis 2 of the conventional construction is applied tothe forward'extremity of the frame, and handles 3 project rearwardlyfrom the frame, and constitute a means whereby the planter may be guidedin its movements, by an operator following behind the same. Arrangedbetween the spaced sides of the rear portion 1 of the frame is a drivewheel 4- which is rigid with a shaft 5 journaled within bearings 6secured to the frame. One end of this shaft 5pro jects beyond the frame,and is provided with a sprocket wheel 7 engaging a chain 8 which alsopasses around a secondsprocket wheel 9 rigid with a second shaft 10journaled upon the frame in advance of the drive whee-l4. A belttightening wheel or idler 11 is provided for taking up any slack in thechain 8", and this belt tightening wheel 11is adjustably mounted upon astandard 12 so as to be moved vertically thereon as required.

A hopper 13-is supported on the frame 1 immediately in front of thedrive wheel 4, and is held rigidly in position by the braces 14. Anendless chain or belt 15, which is driven by the shaft 10, passes underthe hopper 13, and means are provided for cooperation with this chain 15to engage'the seed potatoes in the hopper and-discharge them into theupper end-of a feed tube 16 leading downwardly to a furrow opening shareor shoe 17. This furrow opening share 17 is carried by a standard 17projecting up.- wardly from the forward end thereof, and bolted orotherwise rigidly connected to the forward portion 1 a of the frame. I

For the purpose of regulating the depth to which the furrow openingshare 17 will operate, a gage wheel 18 is utilized, the said gage wheelbeing ournaled upon a standard 19 which is adjustablyconnected to themain frame 1 of the planter, to admit ofthe gage wheel being raised andlowered as desired. In the present instance, the upper end of thestandard 19 is adjustably clamped within a socket 20 at the forwardportion of the main frame 1, while the lower portion of the standard 19is bent rearwardly and secured to the furrow opening share or shoe 17.It will thus be obvious that by vertically adjusting the gage wheel 18,the depth to which the potatoes will be planted may be regulated asdesired.

The endless belt or chain 15,- the upper reach ofwhichpasses under thehopper 13,

extends around a wheel 21, loose upon the shaft 10, and also aroundawheel 22 journaled at the upper and forward portion of the hop er.Carried by the endless belt 15 at suitable intervals are the wings 26which are connected thereto by shanks 26 designed to be received withina slot in the bottom of the hopper. It will thus be obvious that theupper reach of the chain will travel along the bottom of the hopperwhile those wings projecting from the upper reach of the chain willtravel within the interior of the hopper. At the point where the wings26 enter the hopper at the bottom thereof an inwardly swinging flap 32is provided to prevent loss of the seed potatoes and the slotted sideof' the hop er projects slightly beyond the bottom tiereof as indicatedat 28 the slot Within this projecting portion being flared so as toreceive and direct the shanks 26 in their movement. Projecting forwardlyfrom each of the wings is a prong 27, the said prongs being designed topositively engage the seed )otatoes as the wings are drawn through t ehopper.

The invention also provides means for positively disengaging the seedpotatoes from the prongs 27 and dropping them into the mouth of the feedtube 16 as they are being carried around the upper wheel 22. For thispurpose, a trip lever 29 is pivotally mounted upon each of the wings 26,the said trip levers being formed with loops surrounding the prongs 27and also with the downwardly extending arms 30. Projecting forwardlyfrom the hopper upon one side of the upper wheel 22 is a trip member 31designed to successively engage the arms 30 of the trip levers, when themachine is in operation. The trip levers 29 are normally swungrearwardly against the wings 26, so that the prongs 27 are unobstructedand may operate in an effective manner to engage the seed otatoes asthey are drawn through the iopper. However, as the various wings 26 passaround the upper guide wheel 22, the seed potatoes carried thereby areheld directly over the mouth of the feed tube 16, and while thuspositioned, the arms 30 engage the trip member 31 and thereby operatethe trip levers 29 to disengage the seed potatoes from the prongs, sothat they will drop into the feed tube and be guided thereby to thedepositing share 17.

A clutch 23 is utilized for locking the wheel 21 upon the shaft 10 orpermitting it to rotate freely thereon as desired, and this clutch isoperated by an arm 24c projecting from a rock aft 24 which extends alongthe handle 3 and is journaled thereon, the rear end of the rock shaftterminating in a handle or finger-piece 25. With this construction itwill be clearly apparant that the operator can control the feedmechanism without leaving his position at the rear of the planter.

Specifically describing the hopper 13 it will be observed that the frontand rear ends thereof are inclined downwardly toward each otl' er andthat the feed belt travels along the lower face of the inclined. frontof the hopper, the wings carried by the feed belt entering e hopper oughan opening provided at ",6 intersec r of the front and rear sides at ebottom tisereof. Tfe lower portion of he front 13* of the hopper islongitudinally depressed to form a trough 33 into wl'iich the seedpotatoes are forced by the action of gravity and the wings travel alongthe bottom of this trough so that the planter will operate in aneffective manner until the supply of seed potatoes within the hopper hasbeen completely exhausted. it will also be observed that the upperportion of the front of the hopper is bulged inwardly at 33 the wingstraveling along the ridge formed by the inwardly bulged portion so thatany seed potatoes wi icli m'gQt have been carried up by the wingswithout being positively engaged tiereby will roll downwardly along theinclined walls of the inwardly bulged portion 33' and find their wayback into the bottom of the hopper.

Projecting laterally from the rear of the frame 1 and loosely connectedthereto, is a marker bar 34 having a marker shoe 85 adjustably connectedto the extremity thereof. The forward portion of this shoe 35 isconnected by a cable 36 to the front of the main frame 1 of the planter,which. serves in the usual manner to hold the marker shoe in properposition during the operation of the planter. lhis marker bar may bequickly applied to either side of the planter as desired, and operatesin the usual manner to facilitate the proper spacing of the rows.

The rim of the drive wheel 4 has a concave formation, to press the soilfirmly over the deposited potatoes, thereby assisting in retaining themoisture within the soil. A scraper 37 for removing the dirt from theconcave periphery of the drive wheel 4, is provided, ant. this scraperis controlled by a finger piece 38 upon the handle 3. The spacingbetween the seed otatoes dropped into the furrows, is control ed by thesize of the wheel 9 which is detachably applied to the shaft 10, and itis contemplated to pro- 'ide each planter with a number of wheels ofvarious sizes, the said wheels being adapted to be used interchangeably,and the spacing of the seed potatoes in the furrow being closer with thesmallerwheels 9 than with the larger wheels 9.

With this construction, it will be obvious that as the planter is drawnacross the field, motion will be imparted from the drive wheel 4 to theshaft 10, and when the wheel 21 is looked upon this shaft by means ofthe clutch mechanism 23, the wings 26 upon the feed belt 15 will bedrawn through the hopper 13.

During the passage of these wings through the hopper, the seed potatoes,which are forced within the trough 33 by the action of gravity, areengaged by the prongs 27 and carried thereby to the upper portion of thehopper. The trip member 31 then acts as previously described to operatethe trip evers 29 and disengage the seed potatoes from the prongs sothat they drop into the tube 16, by means of which they are delivered tothe furrow opening share 17. The drive wheel 4 then serves to press thesoil, which has been previously loosened by the share, firmly around theseed potatoes in such a manner as to retain the moisture within theearth.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is: I

1. In a planter, the combination of a main frame, a drive wheeljournaled upon the main frame, a hopper mounted upon the main frame andformed with a slotted side, an endless belt passing along the slottedside of the hopper and driven by the drive wheel, Wings carried by theendless belt and adapted to travel through the hopper, seed engagingprongs projecting from the wings, a trip lever pivotally mounted uponeach of the wings and formed with. a loop surrounding the seed engagingprongs and also with an arm, a depositing mechanism upon the frame, anda trip member arranged in the path of the arms of the trip levers formoving the latter to release the seeds from the seed engaging prongs anddeliver them to the depositing mechanism.

2. In a planter, the combination of a main frame, a depositing mechanismupon the frame, a hopper carried by the frame and formed with aninclined side the lower portion of which is provided with a trough whilehe up aer portion is provided with a ridge, an endless belt mounted uponthe frame and traveling along the bottom of the trough and the top ofthe ridge, and means upon the endless belt for engaging seeds from thehopper and delivering them to the depositing mechanism.

3. In a planter, the combination of a main frame, a depositing mechanismupon the main frame, a hopper carried by the main frame and formed withan inclined side having the lower portion thereof depressed to form atrough while the upper ortion is bulged to form a ridge, an en less beltmounted upon the main frame and traveling along the bottom of the troughand the top of the ridge, wings carried by the endless belt, seedengaging prongs projecting from the wings, and means for releasing theseeds from the seed engaging prongs and delivering them to thedepositing mechanism.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JESSE R. FRUIT. [L. s.]

Witnesses:

GEO. G. NEWLON, F. M. SNYDER.

